An insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is a three-terminal power semiconductor device primarily used as an electronic switch. It combines high efficiency and fast switching. IGBTs switch electric power in many modern appliances: variable-frequency drives (VFDs), electric cars, trains, variable speed refrigerators, lamp ballasts, air-conditioners, and even stereo systems with switching amplifiers, etc. Since it is designed to turn on and off rapidly, amplifiers that use it often synthesize complex waveforms with pulse-width modulation and low-pass filters. In switching applications, modern devices feature pulse repetition rates well into the ultrasonic range-frequencies which are at least ten times the highest audio frequency handled by the device when used as an analog audio amplifier.
The IGBT combines the simple gate-drive characteristics of a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) with the high-current and low-saturation-voltage capability of a bipolar transistor. The IGBT combines an isolated-gate FET for the control input and a bipolar power transistor as a switch in a single device. Large IGBT modules typically include many devices in parallel and can have very high current-handling capabilities in the order of hundreds of amperes with blocking voltages of 6000 V. These IGBTs can control loads of hundreds of kilowatts.
Various structures for IGBTs, such as: planar IGBTs, trench IGBTs, and lateral IGBTs, have been designed to customize the operational properties of the device for particular applications. For example, planar or vertical IGBTs utilize a convenient structure for a high power (e.g., high voltage and high current) switch. The planar IGBT includes a collector at a bottom side, a gate at a top side, and an emitter surrounding the gate at the top side. Trench gate IGBTs have a similar general structure to the planar IGBTs. However, trench IGBTs include a trench within which the gate is situated. The trench reduces the on-state voltage drop of the device. The current path of planar and trench IGBTs is vertical from the collector to the emitter.
Lateral IGBTs (LIGBT) are often employed in lower power control and detection circuits. Lateral IGBTs do not utilize the vertical structure of the planar and trench IGBTs, where collector and emitter contacts are provided on the top and on the bottom of the semiconductor material. Instead, lateral IGBTs generally include a substrate contact at a bottom side, a collector at one side of a top side, an emitter at the other side of the top side, and a gate disposed between the emitter and the collector at the top side. The current path of lateral IGBTs is horizontal (e.g., lateral) within the device from the collector to the emitter.
Other features of the present embodiments will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.